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Henry74 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Should

Hello,

I heard this in a movie:
- The whole family was astonished that Susan should have married so young.

It threw me off for a moment, until I realized that the intended meaning was [...] that Susan had married so young.
Looking for an explanation about why a should-construction was being utilized, I remembered a case that might be similar, namely:
a) It's funny that you should mention that, etc.

Which, if I'm not mistaken, can become
b) It was funny that you should have mentioned that, etc.

Is that a correct correlation on my part?
If it is, what type of adjectives can be subsituted for astonished that would require a similar should-construction?
Would adjectives that expressed an emotional reaction behave in a similar fashion (shocked, surprised, displeased, bewildered, etc.)?

Thank you for your help.
Happy New Year!

H.
  

Top answer

I believe you have it right. I'm shocked/surprised/flabbergasted [to learn] that you should have even considered such a thing. Henry74 what type of adjectives can be subsituted for astonished that would require a similar should-construction?

— Avangi

  • I believe you have it right.
  • I'm shocked/surprised/flabbergasted [to learn] that you should have even considered such a thing.
  • Henry74 what type of adjectives can be subsituted for astonished that would require a similar should-construction?
  • I wouldn't say that they require it.
  • They simply allow it.
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8 Answers
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I believe you have it right.
I'm shocked/surprised/flabbergasted [to learn] that you should have even considered such a thing.
Henry74what type of adjectives can be subsituted for astonished that would require a similar should-construction?
I wouldn't say that they require it. They simply allow it.

Also, you can s
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Thank you Avangi for validating my hypothesis.

There is only one thing that I'm not sure I understand in your sentence. Shouldn't it be:

a) I am shocked to learn that you should even consider such a thing.
or
b) I was shocked to learn that you should even have considered such a thing.

H.
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Hi Henry,
I have a bad habit of "editing to add" without so indicating. I need to work on that!Emotion: embarrassed

Both a) and b)
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AvangiI have a bad habit of "editing to add" without so indicating. I need to work on that!
No problem.
AvangiBoth a) and b) work.
OK.
Does your original sentence -- I am shocked [...] you should have even considered [...] -- have a different meaning than my a)?

[EDIT: I
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To my ear, the "perfect" have considered places more emphasis on the fact that you really did consider it.

Re your edit, I believe that the time frame of the being shocked and the time frame of the considering are independent.
You're free to alter one without altering the other.

It can be risky trying to pin down usages that may involve the subjunc
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AvangiYou're free to alter one without altering the other.
Got it. Thanks.

H.
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Re your addendum
AvangiIt can be risky trying to pin down usages that may involve the subjunctive. Many of those uses have been "phased out," and the remainder seem to be on their way to the same fate.
I was wondering if that was in fact a subjuncive, because I had previously encoutered subjunctives only in combination with the base form of a verb.
It
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Henry74It is my understanding that the AmE version of the subjunctive is without should.
I hadn't yet heard about that.
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